Garter and belt



A(No Model.) v mi I'. H. MGCLUNG, JI'. GARTBR AND' BELT.

No.'v569,511. Patented 001;. 1'3, 1896.

yPaaren*r FFICE.,`

FRANK HENRY MCCLUNG, JR.

, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.

GARTER AND BELT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,51 1, dated October 13, 1896.

Application filed December 17, 1895. Serial No. 572,422. (No model.)

To all wz/o'm/ it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK HENRY MC- CLUNG, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Knoxville, in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee, have invented eert-ain new and useful Improvements in Garters and Belts; andIdo declare the following to be a f ull, clear, an d exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to improvements in garters and belts, and the object is to provide a garter and belt which will support and hold a stocking or hose stretched and smooth under all conditions, positions, and movements of the body, whether it be erect or recumbent, or whether the legs be extended or bent.

I have fully and clearly illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l shows the device applied to the person. Fig. 2 shows the action of the device when the leg is raised and bent. Fig. 3 shows the device extended.

A designatesa belt adapted to encircle the waist of the body and secured in place by a buckle or button l. To each side of the belt at points over the hips is secured a non-elastic tab 2 3, having a buckle et secured thereto which engages with an elastic strap 5, carrying a ring suitably secured thereto. From each ring G GX is suspended an elastic strap 7, with which a buckle 8 engages, and to the buckle is secured two elastic straps 9 9X, having connected to the respective ends a suitable attaching buckle, clamp, or fastening means l0,whereby the stocking or hose may be caught up and held, substantially as shown.

The construction and arrangement of the elements or parts thus far described are those usually employed for holding up a stocking by means of a belt and elastic strips of material connected thereto. In such appliances or devices it is apparent that when they are applied while the body is in erect position they will be loose and without the requisite tension when the legs are bent or drawn up, as in sitting posture or in the position assumed while riding a bicycle, so that the stocking is likely to move down and become wrinkled and unsightly, especially if the bent position is accompanied with movements of the limbs, and on the recovery of the body to an erect attitude the suspension-strap or garter is incapable of pulling up the stocking to its original stretched position. Such an undesirable condition of apparel does not and cannot take place or happen when my improved garter and belt is used, and it is the primary object and purpose of this invention to obviate these disadvantages and objectionable 'features by providing a device which will hold the stocking up no matter what posture of body is assumed, and I accomplish this by the following-described means.

To a point in the belt, as l1, I attach one end of a tape or strap l2 and carry it down and connect the other end to the ring GX, and to the opposite side of the belt, as at 11X, I attach the end of another strap l2 and carry it down and connect it to the opposite ring G, the straps l2 l2X crossing at the middle, and also connect the ends of a strap 13 to the opposite rings (5 6X, this strap being straight in its position or direction between the rings,

.substantially as shown in the drawings.

The straps just described may be made of a continuous piece of material, preferably non-elastic, having one end secured to the belt and carried through the opposite ring, and then carried across and through the other ring, and from thence carried across and the end secured to the belt, and to prevent the slipping of the strap at the rings the turns are secured by stitches or rivets, as indicated at 14. These crossed straps and the straight strap it under and over the buttocks and serve to eitectually hold the rings in the same relative positions when the legs assume a bent position, and because the suspending portion of the garter-straps are straight from this point at t-he hips to their connection with the stocking they do not loosen their tension and pull on the stocking, the slack being only in that part of the strap above the rings, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

My device is particularly adapted to be worn by persons while riding bicycles, since the movements of the limbs during that occupation tend to push the stocking down.

It will be perceived that the supportingbelt may be substituted by any suitable body- IOO support, such as shoulder straps and braces, and therefore I do not desire to confine myself to the exact and particular connections of a belt as being the essential element to which the cross-straps are connected.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination with the body-belt and the elastic garter-straps suspended therefrom, and provided with oppositely-arranged rings,

as shown, of the non-elastic crossed stra-ps having one end secured to the body-belt and the other ends fastened to the rings, and the straight strap, connected to the rings.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK HENRY MCCLUN G, JR.

XVitnesses:

GHAs. DUoLoUX, M. J. CoNDoN. 

